Searching for Discovery
by hiddeninthedarknessofdaylight
Summary: All her life she'd been an outcast. No one had ever wanted her around, so why should she care if he didn't want her either. Rated T for now. Rating may change in later chapters. PLEASE REVIEW! Flames welcome.
1. Running Away

Kayte kicked up the autumn leaves on the forest floor absent-mindedly as she made her way along the path that wound through the golden trees

Kayte kicked up the autumn leaves on the forest floor absent-mindedly as she made her way along the path that twisted through the golden trees. She was not going anywhere in particular, but rather she was leaving somewhere very particular. In her mind, anywhere would be an improvement upon where she had left that morning.

She shoved the memories of the past few days far out of her mind and focused on the scenery around her. The trees were brilliant with their autumn leaves, seeming to illuminate the very air around them. The sky above, peeking through the branches here and there, was full of white, wispy clouds. Kayte smiled at the thought of the sunset that would come that night. Sunsets were always more bright and bold when the clouds were there.

The path she was following had been covered with fallen leaves, but that did not deter her in any way. She knew the trails of the forest by heart. She had often come there as a place to cool off after – . Abruptly, she halted that train of thought. She had to forget for a while. If she began to think about what had happened that morning, she would be angry. Besides, she was done with that life. But she knew that if she did not find somewhere to live soon, she would have no choice but to turn back.

She pulled one hand out of her dark red fleece jacket and ran it through her shoulder-length dark brown hair, beginning to feel tired from her day's walk. As she looked up from the ground, she noticed a large stag to her right. He stood there motionless, regarding her intently with his noble gaze. He turned back to the trees, but looked over his shoulder as if to tell her to follow him. Not having anything else of interest to do, Kayte decided spur of the moment to stride into the trees after the stag.

After a while, Kayte realized that however much she walked the stag always stayed just far enough ahead of her that she could only catch glimpses of it as it turned corners before it disappeared in the trees. She even tried running towards the stag in an effort to catch up, but still the animal remained just out of sight. Kayte began to feel like following the stag had been a bad idea, but since she did not know how to get back to her path anyway, she continued following the fleeting glimpses of the animal's flanks.

She came across a clearing and stopped. The stag was nowhere in sight. She walked around the edges of the trees, looking for some flash of brown or a misplaced footprint, but there were none to find. So she stood in the clearing, lost, and having no idea of what she should do. Sighing to herself in disappointment, she turned around to go back the way she had come, only to find that there was only one path leading out of the clearing. She looked down the path and decided firmly that that had not been the way she had com in. She frowned in confusion; that did not make sense.

Kayte heard a noise from down the path. She thought it sounded like the footsteps of some large animal crushing leaves beneath its feet. As she listened, she began to think that there was more than one creature coming up the path. She thought she could hear twelve distinct footsteps, although she found it difficult to be certain because of how close together they were. It sounded as if the creatures were running.

"Pst!" a voice called from a bush to her right. Kayte turned to look in that direction, frowning in confusion. "Pst!" the voice called again. "Come here! Quickly!" With another glance down the path, Kayte walked cautiously towards the talking bush. She got within an arm's length before an arm shot out of the branches and pulled her in roughly. She struggled and managed to get in a good kick before a hand closed over her mouth and strong arms stilled her torso. "Shhh!" he hissed. "Do you want to get us killed?"

He slowly released her. She pushed herself into a sitting position and took a good first look at– her attacker? her captor?... – him. His black hair had been cut short, revealing an ugly burn scar stretching across the left side of his face, from the side of his nose past his left ear. Kayte shuddered at the thought of what could have caused such a burn. Other than the scar, he was actually quite attractive, Kayte thought as he regarded her coolly and cautiously with golden-colored eyes.

His head snapped back towards the clearing as three gigantic black salamanders entered by the path Kayte had been looking at. Each of them carried a single rider.

The first rider dismounted, followed by the other two. Kayte heard a sharp intake of breath from the boy to her right as he saw the first rider's face. All three of them were girls, dressed strangely but well.

"Zuko!" the first girl called into the trees. "Zuko, I know you're here! There's nowhere else you could go, Zuzu."

The boy in the bushes gritted his teeth and glared darkly at the girl. "Azula…" he muttered quietly.

"Azula," the second rider spoke, her voice oddly apathetic in contrast to her passionate companion. "Maybe he's not here."

"He's here, Mai. I know it." Azula's eyes swept the clearing as Mai shrugged and went back to her salamander.

"So where are they? A 16-year-old boy and his uncle can't have gone too far, right?" The third rider was less dark than the other two. Whereas Azula was angry and Mai was emotionless, the third of the girls was blatantly cheerful.

"I don't know, but there here someplace." She turned with a smile that made Kayte's blood run cold. "Get back in your saddle, Ty Lee. We're leaving."

"But you just said –"

"I know what I just said. I'm changing my mind."

The boy next to Kayte began to creep backwards through the bushes and motioned for her to follow him. Trusting her new savior far more than Azula and her companions, Kayte took the boy's advice and crawled backwards into the bushes behind her as quietly and as quickly as she could. When they were out of sight, they helped each other to their feet and continued their flight quietly. Kayte glanced behind her and saw that there were flames coming from the direction of the clearing. The two began to run.

They soon found a path and could run unhindered by bushes and branches on the ground. Thanks to adrenaline, Kayte ran behind the boy with little difficulty. Otherwise, she doubted she would have been able to keep up at all. As it was, by the time they came to the edge of the burning forest, Kayte's heart was pounding in her ears and her right side hurt. She felt extremely hot, but knew better than to discard her jacket. She would need it again.

As the two emerged from the forest, Kayte was greeted by a very unfamiliar landscape. A huge wall stretched across the surface of the earth as far as she could see to either side of her. Behind the wall was a gigantic city – bigger than any single city Kayte had ever seen. Roads lead to gates in the wall, which were each guarded by seven heavily armed soldiers. More soldiers patrolled the top of the wall, walking back and forth continuously. But aside from the city and the wall, there was nothing. The earth was bare. There were no concrete roads. No cars. No trains, airplanes, mountains… There were slight hills here and there, but otherwise there was nothing.

Kayte stood in shock at the edge of the forest, staring in wonder at the sight before her. She began to feel extremely uneasy. She had been uneasy before when the stag led her away from the trail she had been following and again when Azula appeared in the clearing. But this was another kind of uneasy. For the first time, Kayte knew with absolute certainty that she was far, far away from anything she had ever known. And she also knew that there was no way to go back.

The boy startled her out of her awestruck silence. "Alright, so who are you?" he demanded. Standing upright, Kayte saw that he was almost a head taller than her. Not that it made much of a difference. Most people Kayte knew were taller than she was.

"Kayte Connor. Who are you?"

He ignored her question. "Where are you from?"

"Sorry, what?"

He spelled it out for her. "Where – are – you – from?"

"Nowhere in particular. What are you trying to get at?"

"Where do you come from? Who are you loyal to? The Fire Nation?"

She looked at him completely confused. "The what?"

"The Earth Kingdom? The Water Tribes? An Air Temple? What?"

"I don't really know what you're talking about. The last place I lived was a small town near Los Angeles, but I've never heard of the Fire Kingdom or the Earth Temple or the Water Nation or whatever."

He looked at her like she was an idiot. "You've got to be kidding me… Do you know the name of that city?" he asked, pointing towards the giant wall.

Kayte thought of the only place she had ever heard of having a wall like that. "China?"

He got angry. "Are you trying to play with me?!"

She backed away slightly. "I thought of asking you the same question. But I think we're both serious. If we weren't, I would have told you whatever place I was from, if I knew, that is, and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have just gotten so pissed. But first off, you still haven't answered _my_ question. Who are you?"

He glared at her a moment longer before deciding she was being serious. "My name is Zuko," he said, starting down the hill they were on and heading towards the dirt road.

"And where are you from, Mr. Zuko? Not that I'm going to know what that means, in any case."

He refused to look at her as she caught up. "I'm from the Fire Nation."

"And where are we?"

"Outside of Ba Sing Se."

"Which is…?"

"The capital of the Earth Kingdom."

"This is making SO much sense…" Kayte muttered, feeling hopelessly lost.

"You really don't have any idea where you are?" He turned towards her, abruptly halting.

"Nope. Would you mind filling me in on the way to wherever we're going?"

"How do I know I can trust you."

She put her hands on her hips. "Well, I'd say you have a better chance of figuring out if _you_ can trust _me_ than I do of figuring out if _I _can trust _you._"

He thought about that for a short while and then began to stride down the road towards the city. Kayte glared at his back and yelled after him.

"Hey! That's not fair. Where the hell am I supposed to go?"

He stopped and looked back at her. "If you want to know, you're going to have to keep up."

Smiling in satisfaction, Kayte hurried to catch up.

"This is the Earth Kingdom, the only nation left standing aside from the Fire Nation. The other two, the Water Tribes and the Air Nomads, have already been defeated."

"So basically these four nations represent the four elements?"

"Yes. Each one is named for the element they can bend."

"Bend?"

"In each nation, there are individuals who have power over an element – earth, air, fire, or water. These individuals are called benders."

"Ah. Ok. So what happened to the other nations?"

"The Fire Nation defeated them. The Air Nomads were the first to fall after the Fire Nation began its war against the others. The Water Tribes fell recently, leaving only the Earth Kingdom still standing against the Fire Nation. Ba Sing Se is a refuge for those seeking to escape the Fire Nation."

"So why are we going there."

"I live there with my uncle. We run a tea shop."

"But you said you were from the Fire Nation."

He grimaced. "I used to be. I was banished from the Fire Nation for speaking out of turn, an act the Fire Lord chose to see as treasonous. He sent me to regain my honor by capturing the Avatar."

"Avatar?"

"He's the only person who can control all four elements. If the Fire Lord defeats the Avatar, the world will be under his control."

"So basically the Fire Lord sent you to do his dirty work?"

He turned on her abruptly. "No. He sent me to regain my honor and prove my loyalty to my country."

"But he sent you to get rid of the main thing in his way instead of doing it himself, didn't he?"

"Yes. But the Fire Lord is very busy, and I am capable."

Kayte shrugged. "Okay. So who were the girls in the forest who was chasing after you?"

They continued walking. "My sister, Azula. She was sent by the Fire Lord to kill me."

"Wait. I thought the Fire Lord sent you to kill the Avatar guy."

"He did."

"So why'd he send your sister to kill you?"

He was silent for a few footsteps, leaving Kayte waiting for an answer. "Because I betrayed him again by letting the Avatar go free after he'd been captured."

"And your sister was willing to kill you if she found you?"

"Undoubtedly."

"Wow. That's sibling love for you."

"I have a complicated family."

"No kidding. So what happened to your parents?"

"I haven't seen my mother since I was little. She's dead. The Fire Lord killed her."

"I'm sorry. And your father?"

"Is the Fire Lord."

Kayte stopped dead in her tracks. "So that makes you…"

"The prince of the Fire Nation. Or I used to be. Banished, I'm nothing but a refugee."

"Wow. You really do have a complicated family."

He nodded, and they continued walking. "Are you still trying to capture the Avatar?"

"I don't know. Mostly, I'm more concerned with not getting caught by Azula."

"Won't she know where you've gone?"

"No. She caught a glimpse of me on the other side of the forest and chased my shadows to that clearing. She never got a good look at me to make sure she was chasing something real. Besides, there's a town on the other side of the forest that would have been easier to get to. She'll assume I've gone there. If I was smart, I'd leave Ba Sing Se, too. But she'll suspect I've left when she thinks to check the city, so if I stay, I'll be more safe than if I leave."

"So what does Ba Sing Se get for harboring the prince of the Fire Nation?"

"Nothing. No one in the city but my uncle and me know that we're Fire Nation. Now you know, too. So you can't tell anyone."

Kayte nodded. "On one condition."

He glanced at her. "I've already saved you once."

She ignored that. "You let me stick around."

He sighed. "We have to talk to my uncle about it."

She could have jumped up and down with excitement. She wouldn't have to sleep in the streets that night.

He looked at her jacket. "You're going to have to get rid of that jacket."

She looked down at the garment. "Why?"

"It's red."

"Yes, it is. What's wrong with that?"

"I just got done explaining that to you. The Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation are at war. Ba Sing Se is the capital of the Earth Kingdom. Red is the color of the Fire Nation."

"Oh. So what am I supposed to wear?"

"Aren't you wearing anything underneath?"

She unzipped the jacket to reveal a dark red long sleeve shirt. "You see the problem?"

"Why the hell are you wearing so much red? Don't you know it's not safe around here?"

She glared at him for a moment. "No. I didn't until you told me. Thanks for the info, but I can't really do anything about it right now unless you have any brilliant ideas."

He glared back and started to undo his own shirt.

"What are you doing?" Kayte gasped. "You'll get cold."

"I'll get over it. It's not far to the tea shop once we're inside the city, and I can keep myself warm in any case." Zuko finished untying the strings that held the parts of his shirt in place and slipped the garment off of his bare shoulders. Kayte stood staring at him in shock, her face almost slipping out of her control. She only barely avoided blushing. "Your turn." He tossed the shirt to her as she took off her jacket. "Shirt too."

"What?"

"You can see your shirt beneath the one I gave you. You'll have to take it off."

"Ok, then. Turn around."

He did so and Kayte quickly removed her own shirt and replaced it with his. She tied down the flaps as Zuko turned around again. He blushed slightly as he looked her over. The shirt hugged her waist and revealed the curves of her torso against the loose fabric. The muted colors made her eyes, grayish blue before, look green. Her cheeks were just a little bit red.

a

She was glaring at him halfheartedly. "So now that we've both successfully half-stripped in the middle of the road, can we get going now?"

"Uh, yeah. Leave your jacket and your shirt on the side of the road."

Wishing she had a backpack to stuff them in, Kayte obeyed and the two of them once again began walking to the city of Ba Sing Se.


	2. Ba Sing Se

The guards at the gate stopped them.

"Who are you and where are you going?"

Zuko answered. "My uncle works in a tea shop on this side of town. My friend and I have been visiting my grandmother on the other side of the forest for the past few days."

The accusing guard looked them over carefully, then stood aside and let them through. Zuko led a stunned Kayte through the gate casually, but quickly.

"You have a grandmother on the other side of the forest?" Kayte whispered.

Zuko chuckled softly. "Nope. I don't even think I have a grandmother. I lied to get us through."

"Ah. Okay."

If the outside of Ba Sing Se was impressive, the interior of the city was heart-stoppingly incredible. Kayte looked around her in wonder as Zuko led her past tents selling anything imaginable, ornate buildings that were supposed to belong to the lower class of the city, clothing shops, book shops, libraries, a community center, and places that looked like they were schools of some kind. Everything was oriental in structure and appearance. Kayte felt like she'd taken some kind of day trip to a wealthier, and weirder, version of Asia.

"Welcome to Ba Sing Se," Zuko muttered in her ear, startling her. "C'mon. Uncle's tea shop is over here." He led her across a broad street to a small shop, built in the same style as the rest of the city. The two of them mounted the steps and stepped through the wide open doorway into a large room where a few people sat quietly sipping cups of tea. Somehow, although there did not seem to be any fuss over keeping the cold air out of the room, it was comfortably warm inside. Zuko continued to lead her by the hand until they had crossed the carpeted floor to the small kitchen behind the far wall.

"Uncle," Zuko called. "Where are you?"

A voice from yet another room answered. "I'm getting tea leaves, my nephew. I did not expect you to be back so soon."

"I got lucky," he grumbled, pulling Kayte into the pantry. Kayte didn't think she'd ever seen so much tea in her life. The smells assaulted her all at once and she breathed them in with pleasure. An old man, not much taller than Kayte herself, was carefully collecting small pots filled with tea leaves. As he turned around, he smiled at his nephew and his new friend.

"Ah, and who is your new girlfriend, Zuko? She sure is a pretty one."

Kayte blushed at the compliment, but Zuko retorted angrily. "She's not my girlfriend. I found her in the forest."

"In the forest? Why were you in the forest?"

"I'll explain later when we don't have customers."

The old man turned to Kayte. "And what is your name?" Kayte thought he had kind eyes, alight with merriment.

"My name is Kayte Connor."

"I'm Zuko's uncle, Iroh."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Iroh."

He laughed. "You can call me Uncle Iroh aswell, young Kayte. If my nephew has taken such a liking to you, I think we can call you part of the family. Although considering the rest of the family, you may not want to stay."

"Thank you, Uncle Iroh. I appreciate your hospitality." Kayte smiled warmly at the kind man.

"If we're done with the pleasantries," Zuko broke in, "are there any customers who still want tea?"

"No, and it's almost time to close the shop for the night."

"Really? What time is it?" Kayte asked, surprised.

"It is almost six o'clock. It is a long way from the forest to Ba Sing Se." For the first time, he looked at the shirt Kayte was wearing. "We should get you some clothes tomorrow, I think. My nephew cannot walk around Ba Sing Se without his shirt for very long."

"I have another one upstairs, Uncle. It's not a big deal for a while. But she is going to need clothes soon."

"Good!" Iroh exclaimed. "Tomorrow we'll go shopping."

Kayte had to contain her laughter. This was certainly starting out better than her previous life at her own uncle's house.

"Why don't you show Kayte around upstairs while I close up?" Uncle Iroh suggested.

Zuko nodded and led Kayte out of the pantry and across the way to the stairs. Kayte realized that the whole time they had been in the shop, he had not let go of her hand.

"This is where we live," Zuko said, gesturing vaguely at the small apartment. "Uncle sleeps in there." He pointed to the first room on the right. "I sleep there." It was the only other bedroom in the apartment. "The bathroom is in there, and there's a stove in that corner." He pointed to the only room on the left and then to a stove in the left corner. "Ummm…" he scratched his head. "There's really nothing else. Is there anything you want to see?"

She looked around the room. "Is there a window?" she asked.

He laughed softly. "Haven't gotten enough of the city yet?" He led her into his room to a large covered window. One handed, he pulled up the shade and let her look out.

She frowned. "The sun's going down," she muttered, remembering the clouds earlier in the day.

He smiled to himself and opened the window. "C'mon. I want to show you something." He let go of her hand and pulled himself out the window, swinging himself onto the roof. Hesitantly, Kayte followed, using the window ledge to push herself up onto the roof after him. He helped her over the edge and sat down with her next to him. Together, they watched the sky explode into color as the sun slipped over the horizon.

"The clouds make it better," he commented, eyes on the sky.

She nodded in agreement. "Cloudless sunsets aren't nearly as bright."

He was silent for a moment. "We should go back inside. Uncle will be looking for us soon."

He showed her how to slip over the edge of the rooftop and disappeared inside the window. She almost succeeded in following, but at the last minute she slipped on the edge of the roof and fell, avoiding a very painful fall only by grabbing the window ledge in passing. She began to haul herself up through the window. Zuko helped her.

"Zuko?" Uncle Iroh was calling from the other room. "Zuko? Where are you?"

Zuko and Kayte stepped out of Zuko's bedroom to Iroh's surprise. "We were outside, Uncle," Zuko explained.

"Watching the sunset? That's very romantic of you, my nephew."

He grimaced, but said nothing. "We should eat dinner soon."

Iroh smiled to himself. "We're having boiled rice for dinner."

Kayte did not think this sounded overly appetizing, but she had not eaten since the night before. So even boiled rice sounded edible.

"Sounded" edible being the key word. What Iroh spooned out into her bowl looked like grits-gone-wrong. The whitish grainy fluid sloshed around in the bowl and slipped off the spoon while she was trying to eat. Still, she tried to eat as much of it as she could. She was a guest and did not want to offend her gracious hosts.

………………………………

Kayte bolted upright. The mat she'd been sleeping on was close to the floor, but still was padded enough to be comfortable. The blanket fell down to her hips as she sat forward. A scream was on her lips, barely contained.

She didn't know where she was. The bare room was dark and unfamiliar and smelled faintly like tea leaves. She was wearing clothes that were not her own.

A human-shaped figure stirred on the floor three feet away from her. As it sat up, Kayte yelped and scrambled away.

"Kayte?" it asked, its voice raspy from sleep. "Are you okay?"

The events of the previous day crashed down around her. She was no longer in her uncle's house. She was safe in a city she had never even heard of, sleeping in the same room as the boy who had found her in the forest.

She swore and broke down. Leaning her head against her knees, she began to cry, her shoulders heaving with the heavy sobs. A hand rested awkwardly on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. Kayte, becoming aware of the cold air, shivered. Zuko gently pulled her towards him and held her close, allowing the warmth of his body to seep into her. Slowly, her sobs ceased and she rested gently against Zuko, eyes firmly shut.

"What happened?" he asked, stroking her hair gently.

"It was a dream," she sighed. "My uncle… it's a bit complicated…"

"We've got some time. Do you want to talk about it?" He didn't know why he was doing this for her. It was totally out of character for him to hold a crying girl in the middle of the night and ask her if she wanted to talk about it. The strange thing was, it felt completely natural.

"I used to live with my uncle on the other side of the forest," she began slowly, desperately trying to detach herself from her emotions for a little while. "We had never exactly gotten along. I think his favorite pastime was screaming at me. The morning you found me in the forest, Uncle and I had another fight. As usual, he hit me. But this time I hit him back. It felt so good that I hit him again, and again. Before I regained control of myself, there was blood on my fists from his face. He was not responsive, so I left before he had a chance to find out what had happened. I don't know if he was dead or just unconscious, but I don't care. I'm not going back."

"You won't have to. I promise."

She smiled up at him wearily. "Thank you. It really means a lot. You and your uncle are…. the nicest people I've ever met…"

He looked away. "It's no big deal. Anyone would have done it."

She gently brought his face back to face her. "Maybe anyone _here_ would have, but I doubt anyone would have taken me in like this where I come from. It's special… to me."

He smiled at the compliment. Kayte thought he looked better when he smiled. It lit up his eyes and made him look so much happier. Besides that, it was infectious. She smiled back and her dream was all but forgotten.

"We should go back to sleep…" he murmured, almost regretfully. Kayte nodded, feeling suddenly exhausted. He helped her crawl back to the mat and tucked her into the blanket. Half-asleep already, she shivered. The window was still open from earlier that day. He pushed himself up from the floor and shut it quietly. As he turned back to his place on the floor, he gazed thoughtfully at the sleeping girl. She shivered again. Zuko decidedly sat down next to the mat and slipped beneath the blanket, bringing himself closer to her sleeping form. He hooked an arm around her waist and fell asleep as he allowed himself to be used as a human heater.


	3. A New Life

Kayte woke up in Zuko's embrace. Unthinkingly, she snuggled backwards into his stomach, closer to the center of the warmth. Slowly she began to mentally shake off the dregs of sleep until she was fully aware. Then she blushed madly at her current situation and tried to gently extract herself from underneath the blanket, but Zuko groaned in his sleep and pulled her back to him. Sighing softly to herself, but admitting that it was not altogether uncomfortable, Kayte lied back down next to him and enjoyed it while it lasted. The heat of his body lulled her back to sleep.

When she awoke again later that morning, he was gone. He had silently left her as she slept peacefully on his mat and wrapped her up again in his blanket, which was still warm from his presence.

She yawned and dragged herself out from underneath the blanket, pushing herself to her feet. Vaguely, she wondered what was for breakfast. More consciously, she wondered how Zuko would treat her that morning. Would he be cold, intending to dispel any illusions that may have been created during the night? Would he be civil, expecting more than she intended to give him? Would he think she was expecting something?

She paused, wondering if she_ was_ expecting something from him after their tender moment last night. Certainly, she was extremely thankful that he'd been there to send the nightmares and memories away. Definitely, she liked Zuko, even though she had known him for less than a day. But she was not expecting him to like her back. If he did, that was great. But if he did not, it was no big deal. Being his friend was just as good. She needed a friend anyway.

She slid open the door and walked out into the main room. Zuko was standing near the stove, stirring something in a large pot and grimacing. His head snapped towards her quickly. Kayte smiled at him brightly.

"Good morning," she greeted him, making her way over to the stove as well. "Where's your uncle?"

Zuko turned back to the pot. "He's talking with the owner of the tea shop. Today's supposed to be our day off for the week, but Uncle still has to ask permission. The owner likes to know where we are."

"Why?" she laughed, "Doesn't he trust you?"

He shrugged. Kayte looked curiously into the pot and grimaced involuntarily. Zuko chuckled softly. "Don't like boiled rice?"

She shrugged. "It's alright, I guess."

"Me neither. Uncle can make really good tea, but I think he might need lessons in cooking."

She laughed. "We might need to do something about that."

"I hope you can. I can't cook either."

She took on a shocked expression, then frowned. "You're telling me that I have to teach _both_ of you how to cook right?"

He laughed softly. "Hey, if it means we don't have to eat _this_ anymore," he gestured at the pot, "I think it's definitely worth it."

"Good news!" Iroh exclaimed, startling them both. "I got you a job working with us in the tea shop."

Kayte smiled wholeheartedly. Somehow Iroh had known exactly how Kayte would feel about using up money while she was living with them. She would look forward to working to make up what she spent.

"We have the day off, right?" Zuko asked, not turning away from the pot he was stirring.

Iroh nodded. "We'll take a trip around the city after breakfast."

Kayte smiled happily for the first time since she could remember and helped Iroh set the small table for breakfast. They ate in companionable silence, each of them anticipating the day to come. For the first time in her life, Kayte felt like she had been accepted.

………………..

Zuko browsed through racks upon racks upon racks of different earth kingdom clothes. He was not exactly sure what he was looking for; he just knew that Kayte needed to wear something _slightly _less conservative than what his uncle was picking out.

His eyes fell upon a dark green sleeve. The dark emerald color caught his eye and he abruptly separated it from the other clothes on the rack in order to get a better look. The soft, thick, woven fabric was embroidered with golden-yellow and bluish-gray thread. The collar would reach halfway up her neck and then slope down into an elegant "v" at the neck line. He envisioned Kayte in the garment and smirked to himself. Then he felt slightly ashamed at himself and blushed, putting the green fabric back where it had been before. Unfortunately for him, his uncle caught him in the act.

"What do you have there, my nephew?" he asked, coming over to inspect the treasure.

Zuko tried to hide it, but was utterly unsuccessful. "Well… uh… nothing… really… just another smock…"

Uncle Iroh smiled almost knowingly. "May I see it?"

"Uh… sure… I guess…" Zuko stepped to the side and let his uncle inspect the garment.

"I think this is wonderful, Lee," he complimented, using Zuko's alias. "You should go give it to Kayte to try on and make sure it's the right size." He checked a small tag hanging off of one sleeve. "And such a good price, too."

Uncle Iroh gently shoved the clothing into Zuko's hands and pushed the awkward boy towards the curtained room where he had left Kayte trying on clothes. The old firebender made a show of looking at other racks of green, yellow, and brown clothes. "Go pick out a pair of leggings for her to wear underneath, too. She'll need something more to keep warm."

Zuko wondered just how much of his uncle's oversights were calculated. He was pretty sure that the old man had planned this one out from the beginning.

………………..

Kayte was altogether pleased with the results of their trip out into the city. Her new clothes were warm and functional, and she had gotten a chance to learn how to navigate around the twisting and curving streets that wound between the houses and shops. She had already begun forming a mental map of her new hometown. It was complicated, involving keeping distinguishing between several streets at a time without knowing their names. Kayte had started naming them herself in an effort to keep them straight in her mind.

Uncle Iroh saw a small shop that sold Pai Sho pieces and left Kayte and Zuko to wander around together, telling them to meet him back at the tea shop when they were ready.

The two stood together in the middle of the streets awkwardly, feeling completely lost but knowing exactly where they were.

"What do we do now?" Kayte muttered, not really expecting an answer.

Zuko shrugged. Kayte was not sure whether it was an expression of indifference or an indication that he had no idea.

The girl had a sudden idea as she watched a cart full of cabbages pass her in the street.

Zuko glanced discreetly over at her as he waited for her to come up with something to do. Her new dress was very flattering on her, showing off her best curves. As he had expected, the deep green color combined with the gray-blue embroidery brought out the blues, greens, and grays in her eyes, allowing the irises to rotate between the three colors depending on her mood and the way the sunlight hit them. The green cloth of the dress came to a long slit a little bit below her hip, allowing her to walk without being constricted, and ended a quarter of the way below her knees. Beneath the dress she wore a pair of very dark brown leggings that reached down to her ankles. A pair of dark brown flats covered her feet.

"How much rice do we have left?" she asked suddenly, startling him out of his thoughts.

"Maybe an eighth of the bag. Why?"

"Do we need more?" She was watching a cabbage cart rolling down the street.

He caught the idea and led her through the street after the cart.


	4. Family

Zuko and Kayte carried their finds up the stairs into the apartment above the tea shop. Zuko had a bag of rice on one shoulder. He acted as if it was nothing, but Kayte knew it must be on the heavy side. Kayte herself carried a small box of inexpensive spices she fully intended to use on the rice that night. She slid open the door and stepped inside, followed by the rice-laden fire prince. Though it was nearly dinnertime, Uncle Iroh was not back from his excursions. Kayte wondered out loud if he was alright, but Zuko assured her that his uncle was fully capable of taking care of himself.

"He was a general in the army," he explained. "And he taught me firebending. But he'll avoid fighting if he can. I'm sure he's fine." His face betrayed some of his doubt, but Kayte did her best to ignore it, knowing that she'd only get more worried if she thought too much about it.

She set the spices down on top of the stove as Zuko dumped the large bag of rice next to the nearly empty one. Promptly, they began to cook dinner, intending to have it ready by the time Uncle Iroh returned. Kayte measured out portions of water and mixed it with corresponding portions of rice in the big pot. She seasoned the combination in the pot lightly, but enough to convey different flavors to future eaters.

The light spicy aromas of the seasoning began to invade the air, filling every corner of the apartment swiftly and decidedly. Zuko took a deep breath, savoring the smells that met his nose. His stomach grumbled loudly.

Kayte laughed. "Hungry?"

He walked away.

Kayte continued to chuckle to herself.

………………..

"This is very good," Iroh complimented after dinner. He'd eaten about two bowls full of the rice.

"Thank you," Kayte beamed. She could not remember the last time someone had complimented her on cooking.

Zuko gave her an affirmative nod. Kayte beamed at that, too. It was as much as a compliment he could give her.

"So, where were you uncle?" Zuko asked straight out. As much as he tried to hide it, Kayte could tell that he'd been a bit worried over his uncle's absence for the second half of the day.

Uncle Iroh's smile waned sadly. "It is Lu Ten's birthday…" he half-murmured.

Zuko lowered his golden eyes, also with a certain degree of sadness.

Kayte almost felt bad for asking. "Who is Lu Ten?"

Uncle Iroh smiled at her. "Lu Ten is my only son. He was killed in the war while I was trying to invade Ba Sing Se. It was a long time ago."

Kayte gazed at him solemnly. "It must be hard. Even now."

"Yes, it is." He suddenly beamed at her. "But I have Zuko. And now I have you. I am not without children totally. We are all a family."

Kayte impulsively jumped up and hugged the old man tightly. He returned the embrace in a very paternal way. Her eyes started to brim with tears…

She had a family. She was loved…

Sorry this is a little late. I was on vacation and lacking internet access, so I couldn't post for a while. But better late than never? Lol. Keep reading! And review please! Reviews never get old


	5. Zuko's Got a Date

Kayte had unofficially been named the head cook from then on, and her life began to fall into a comfortable and pleasant routine. Every morning, she got up with Iroh and Zuko and made breakfast. After they had eaten, they all went downstairs to begin their workday. Kayte found that she actually liked working in the tea shop. Every day she learned more about the people in the strange world she now lived in. Iroh taught her about different kinds of teas and about how to deal with people she did not know. Zuko unconsciously reminded her how to laugh and smile.

Zuko and Kayte became nearly inseparable. They laughed together, ate together, still slept in the same room together (this due in part to the fact that Iroh expressed desires to have his own room), and, inevitably, fought with each other. They argued over little things like who was going to sit where at their little dinner table and who would get the thicker blanket that night. Neither of them really cared much about the outcome. To them, the arguments were a form of entertainment - an elaborate game in which no one was keeping score. They fought for the sheer pleasure of winning and letting the other win. They shared most things anyway.

They broke for lunch a little bit after midday, when there were few customers in the shop. Sometimes they stayed at home and ate leftovers from the night before. Other times they went out to a small cafe close to the tea shop. After lunch, the three went back to work until six, at which time the shop's owner came out and closed up. Kayte went upstairs to cook dinner, usually accompanied by Zuko, while Iroh made them all a pot of tea to drink with the meal. After dinner, they took turns clearling the table and talked with each other before bed.

Kayte had nightmares every night - or rather she had the same recurring nightmare every night. The first time she had the dream, her uncle had simply followed her into this new world and brought her back to his home at the end of a shotgun. Recently there had been a change. Her uncle, instead of only coming to harm _her_, had shot both Zuko and Iroh in his crazed attempts to get at her. She woke up with a scream on her lips every night their lifeless bodies flashed behind her eyelids. And every night Zuko would wake up to comfort her in her distress, holding her tightly until morning.

He sometimes wondered at his relationship with Kayte, but most times it gave him a headache, so he let it go.

..............................................................................................................................

"She knows, Uncle," Zuko whispered urgently to his uncle, his golden eyes shifting to look inconspicuously at a young Earth Kingdom girl sipping her tea in the corner. "She knows we're Fire Nation. She's been here _all_ day, watching us. No one but _you_ can drink tea for that long."

Iroh, balancing a tray of cups in one hand and two teapots in the other, spared only a glance at the girl before returning to his work, a wide grin plastered on his face. "Don't be silly, nephew," he chided smugly. "She just likes you." Iroh continued on his way back to the storage room and kitchen.

Zuko watched as his uncle left him all alone at the counter and suddenly felt very awkward. His eyes scanned the room, lingering briefly on the girl in the corner and then moving on, finally resting on Kayte, who was brightly taking orders for tea from a disgruntled. He watched her facial features as the shiny, balding man, flowing out of his chair on both sides, complained about the wallpaper and Iroh's choice of teapots. A small smile pulled at the corner of Zuko's mouth as he wondered whether she was trying to contain anger or amusement. She broke off the man's chatter with a smile and began to walk away. Zuko watched her gray eyes sparkle brightly and knew that she had been trying not to laugh.

"Ummm.... Excuse me?" Zuko suddenly became aware of the Earth Kingdom girl standing in front of the checkout counter. His face revealed a wave of surprise before he regained control of himself.

"Sorry. Can I help you?" he asked warily.

"I'd like to pay?" Her big brown eyes over-dominated her face, making her appear more adorable than attractive.

He silently made the transaction, never once looking directly at her. "Was there something else?" he asked when she did not leave after he handed her the change.

"Yeah, actually." She became more bold. "Are you doing anything tonight?"

Before Zuko could answer and save himself, Iroh emerged from the storage room and answered for him. Suddenly, Zuko had been committed to a date at seven o'clock that night and the girl, whose name was Jin, was leaving the tea shop.

"See you then," she called over her shoulder as she disappeared from view.

Zuko was again left alone at the counter, wondering what had just happened. His eyes darted to Kayte, who was staring at him from a few feet away. A flurry of emotions flickered across her face. Shock. Panic. Anger. Back to panic. Doubt. And finally... amusement. She dropped her notepad as she fell to the floor, laughing. He glared at her in embarrassment. She noticed, but continued her helpless peals of laughter.

..............................................................................................................................

Kayte had disappeared as soon as they had closed shop. She'd said that she had to take care of a few things before dinner, but Zuko had secretly wished that she had stayed. Iroh had spent the rest of the time combing back Zuko's hair until every untidy strand had been forced into place. At last, the dreaded moment of Jin's arrival had come. Zuko was dragged out of the tea shop and into the night.

Meanwhile, Kayte was chasing shadows. Earlier that day, she'd seen a man looking through the window of the tea shop. Although someone looking through the window was generally a common occurrence, Kayte had instantly recognized the peeking pair of eyes. Somewhere in Ba SIng Se, her uncle was waiting to find her.

..............................................................................................................................

Zuko waited moodily in his room and wondered where the hell Kayte was. He wanted to pick a fight.

The date had been a disaster. Well, okay. Not a _complete_ disaster. Everything had been going fine at first. He had even begun to enjoy himself a little. But then they'd gotten to the fountain... and they'd kissed. For reasons he had no hope of explaining, he'd felt guilty about it and had abruptly left Jin standing alone in the torchlight. How the hell had he gotten into this in the first place?!

He heard the front door open and close and waited for Kayte to come in. Finally, the screen slid open and Kayte threw herself wearily against the sleeping mat on the floor. He glanced over at her and felt most of his frustration evaporate at the sight of her exhausted form.

Neither of them said anything for a while.

"So how was your date?" Kayte asked from her spot on the mat, trying unsuccessfully to keep the bitterness and strange jealousy from her voice.

"It was nice... until I blew it."

Kayte perked up. "Why'd you do that?"

"She kissed me."

"How touching..." she replied dryly. "What happened?"

"We went to the fountain, but the torches were off."

"So you lit them?"

He nodded.

"Then what?"

"She kissed me."

"And?"

"I kissed her back."

Kayte paused. "And?"

"Then I stopped. And left."

"You left?"

"Yes."

"And her?"

"Standing alone at the fountain."

They were both silent for a while.

"Did you like it?"

"Like what?"

"The kiss."

"Sort of. But there was a problem."

"What?"

"I don't know."

Another pause.

"So where the hell were you?"

"Looking for something."

"What?"

She shrugged.

"Did you find it?"

"No... But I will eventually."

"How do you know?"

"I don't."

"Right."

"Is Uncle Iroh asleep?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I didn't see him when I came in."

"He's asleep."

"Good."

"We should probably go to sleep, too."

Kayte nodded. Zuko turned off the light.


	6. Distractions

6

Work the next day was difficult for Kayte. Her uncle's eyes seemed to peer in at her from every window, distracting her and sending her mind into moments of sheer panic. Soon, she began to think that he was hiding in every cold winter shadow, lying maliciously in wait for her to let down her guard and relax.

She began to get ahold of herself a little bit when she nearly screamed in fright at Zuko's simple "hello."

Zuko took in Kayte's wide eyes, bloodshot from another restless night, her white knuckles grasping an empty serving tray as if she would use it as a shield, and the firm, planted positions of her feet. She released the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and slowly tried to relax her grip on the tray as her mind sluggishly registered that Zuko, not her uncle, was standing before her.

"Are you okay?" His frown displayed his concern.

"I'm fine," she muttered, still trying to force herself to calm down.

"No, you're not," he stated firmly, slowly extracting the tray from Kayte's still too-tight fingers by way of illustration. "Is it the nightmares?"

She hesitated, then nodded, lowering her eyes. "They're getting worse. I even see him in the daytime, now, when I'm awake."

He thought for a moment, deciding what to do. "You need to rest," he declared and brought her to Iroh, who agreed with him.

"But I need to work!" she protested, pleading with them. "I need to buy groceries this weekend."

"Just take a sick day," Iroh pointed out. "If you feel better later, you can work tomorrow."

"But –"

"Just take the day, Kayte," Zuko's voice was both stern and gentle at the same time. "You really need to sleep."

She gave in trudged her way upstairs, feeling guilty about not working that day. She drank a glass of water and slipped into bed, finally realizing her exhaustion when her head hit the pillow. Strangely, the last thought that crossed her mind before the sweet obliviation of sleep was that she felt cold. She missed Zuko's heat beneath the blankets.

..............................................................................................................................

It was beginning to get dark when she finally woke up. Vaguely she realized that she had not had any nightmares as she looked around the room, trying to remember what had woken her in the first place.

Suddenly, the images raced to flood her mind. Her uncle's face above hers, his ice-blue eyes contrasting the darkness around him, his yellow, rotting teeth leering at her through the fog of half-dreams. For a moment, she was back in her uncle's house, bruises decorating the length of her body, grime and dirty dishwater in her clothes. She shivered, trying to remember if it had been real.

Deciding in the negative, Kayte glanced around the room, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Wondering why it was so hot inside, she pushed herself up from the floor and went to the window, intending to open it to get some fresh air. But as the cool breeze played across her skin, a sheaf of paper hit her square in the face. Fumbling for the page, she swore as she cut her finger on the edge. She was about to crumple up the offending paper and toss it away when she was caught by a stunning image of a large animal.

She ran her fingertips over the drawing, admiring the strange creature depicted on the page. It had six legs, each one large and covered in thick, white fur. The shape of an arrow was drawn across its forehead, ending just before its dark eyes. She scanned the page, her eyes coming to rest on four large letters above the drawing. "LOST."

Just then, she heard a soft thumping noise coming from the ceiling. She looked up in surprise, then climbed out the window and onto the roof, finding Zuko standing in the wind, another piece of paper clutched in his hand.

"I thought you were sleeping," he said without turning around.

"I was," she answered.

"Did I wake you?"

She shook her head. "No. What are you looking at?"

He handed her a crumpled duplicate of the "LOST" poster she had found earlier.

"Thanks, but I already have one," she teased. "So what is it?"

"An Air Bison."

"Explain for the idiot please."

He turned to face her, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "It's a giant bison that can fly. The Air Nomads used to have them – before they fell to the Fire Nation. There's only one left in the world as far as I know, and that one belongs to the Avatar."

She thought for a moment, trying to remember who the Avatar was. "The guy your dad sent you to find after he banished you?"

Zuko nodded.

Kayte continued with her questions. "So you think this Avatar guy is in Ba Sing Se now?"

He nodded again.

"And you want to go find the flying bison thing because you think it'll lead you to the Avatar."

Another nod.

"So, what do you think you're going to get out of this if it works?"

"If I find the Avatar and capture him, Uncle and I can return to the Fire Nation with honor. We won't have to hide here in the city anymore. We can go back home." As he talked, his eyes lit up with an inner desire that Kayte had never seen in him before.

"And if the two of you go back to the Fire Nation – back to the father who sent your sister to kill you – where does that leave me? I don't exactly have anyplace to go without you."

"You can come with us. When my father sees that you helped me capture the Avatar, you'll be like royalty."

She raised an eyebrow. "You expect me to help you? I honestly think the whole idea is ludicrous."

"Will you?"

She took a moment to fully appreciate the fact that this was probably going to be the only time she ever saw Zuko plead for anything. "Fine."

His face broke into a grin. Kayte could almost hear the gears turning in his head. "Tonight, then. In an hour when the sun goes down."


	7. Lake Laogai

Kayte pressed herself back into the shadows, allowing the darkness of the night to consume her image. She was invisible to passerby, the only evidence of her presence being the soft sound of her breath on the wind. She waited, every muscle in her body both totally relaxed and still. Silence.

Her eyes darted to the mouth of the alley where Zuko, disguised as "the Blue Spirit", as he so called himself, sprinted lightly across the cobblestones, his feet hardly making a sound. He paused for a moment, admiring the product of Kayte's hour of labor, and slipped into the shadows at Kayte's side. Heat radiated off his body, and Kayte welcomed the change from the cold winter air in the city.

They had waited for less than a minute while the Dai Li agent caught up to his intended prey. The earthbender wasted no time in attacking the stuffed replica of the Blue Spirit that was standing in the center of the alley. And as the doll's head toppled to the ground, Zuko made his move, drawing his dual swords and rendering the earthbender helpless.

"If you don't want to end up like _him_," he gestured with this head towards the doll, "You'll do what I say."

The agent's knees began to shake as Kayte stepped out of the shadows, her hood pulled up to hide her face.

"The Avatar's Sky Bison – where is it?" Zuko demanded, closing his swords slightly for emphasis.

"I-I-It's at our headquarters – underneath the lake." The earthbender's eyes began to roll up into the back of his head in fear.

"Be careful," Kayte warned. "He's passing out."

As if on cue, the agent's knees gave out and he collapsed on the ground in a heap.

"Nice job, genius," Kayte scolded, pulling smelling salts from a pouch on her belt.

"He's supposed to be a tough guy," he explained. "I didn't think he'd give in this easy. It makes me nervous."

"He's not going to tell us anything if he can't talk through fright." She passed the salts three times near his nose before the Dai Li agent came around. Her smirk was hidden in the shadow of her hood.

"Your headquarters," she stated simply. "Take us there."

"And no funny business," Zuko added, allowing a little bit of light to catch the edge of one of his swords.

The earthbender wordlessly pushed himself to his feet and led them out of the alley. Kayte and Zuko followed him silently through the winding streets until they came to the edge of a lake outside the city. The shore was abandoned.

"So where is it?" Zuko demanded. In response, the agent raised the entrance to a tunnel from the water.

"Clever," Kayte commented, trying not to show her surprise when the tunnel appeared out of nowhere. She had never seen anyone bend before.

"The bison is in the eighth chamber in the tunnel on the left."

Kayte could hear Zuko's smirk in his voice. "Thank you." He paused. "Would you mind opening the door?" The agent complied, and Zuko hit him over the head with the pommel of one of his swords.

The Dai Li agent collapsed, again, on the ground as Kayte shot a reproachful look at her friend.

He shrugged. "We can't let him tell anyone that we're here, and I didn't want to kill him."

Kayte sighed and began pulling the earthbender towards the hole in the tunnel.

"What are you doing?"

"What happens if another Dai Li agent walks by and finds this one inert on the shore? I don't feel like getting caught tonight."

"Let me help." Zuko swung the body onto his back and descended the ladder. Kayte followed. They first stored the unconscious man in a nearby closet, then followed the tunnel to the eight chamber on the left.

Zuko opened the door, revealing the biggest animal Kayte had ever seen. A small gasp escaped her lips as Zuko entered the room.

"Expecting someone else?" he asked as the bison struggled to its feet, all six of which were chained to the ground. Zuko drew his swords. The bison growled loudly and began stomping its feet. "You're mine, now."

The door opened again and Kayte prepared herself mentally to be captured even as Zuko spun around, swords at the ready. When Iroh stepped through the threshold, Kayte's sigh of relief echoed through the chamber.

"Uncle?" Zuko gasped in surprise.

"So, the Blue Spirit. I wonder who could be behind that mask."

Zuko sighed in resignation and removed the mask. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing. What do you plan to do now that you've found the Avatar's bison? Keep it locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?" Iroh's voice rose in anger with each sentence.

"First I have to get it out of here."

"And then what?" Iroh yelled. "You never think these things through! This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole. You had him, and then you had nowhere to go!"

"I would have figured something out!"

"No!!! If his friends hadn't found you, you would have frozen to death!"

"I know my own destiny, Uncle."

"Is it your _own_ destiny? Or is it a destiny that someone else has tried to force on you?"

"Stop it Uncle. I have to do this!"

"I'm begging you, Prince Zuko. It is time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions. Who are you? And what do _you_ want?"

Zuko yelled in frustration and threw his swords and mask to the floor. The sounds echoed through the chamber, bouncing off the walls to return to his ears. He was silent for a long time. No one moved except to breathe.

Zuko slowly bent over to pick up his belongings, sliding the swords back into the scabbard between his shoulders.

"Let's get him out of here," he said, his voice barely audible. "Then we'll set him free."

..............................................................................................................................

Iroh helped Kayte out of the tunnel while Zuko stood on the side of the stone pier, looking out at the sparkling sea in the morning sun.

"You did the right thing, nephew." He touched Zuko on the shoulder. "Leave it behind."

Kayte came around to Zuko's other side as the mask slowly sank through the water. He looked down at her as she smiled softly up at him and put an arm around her shoulders. She fought down a sudden unexpected surge of butterflies rising in her stomach and rested her head on his shoulder. "It's time to go home."


End file.
